


Show Me the Stars

by Diodol



Category: Alien vs Predator (2004), Predator Original Series (1987-1990)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Planet, Aliens, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:28:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25835770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diodol/pseuds/Diodol
Summary: Follow this family of Yautja and women as they travel the galaxy, hunting things, building relationships and living life.
Relationships: Human Female/Male Yautja, Human/Yautja, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 15
Kudos: 22





	1. Show Me the Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviewed and edited by me.
> 
> I love to hear your thoughts! This work is an exercise to flex my creativity and my writing. I'm also eager to contribute to the community that I've found comfort and adventure in for years!

She glanced at her watch, clicking her tongue. Taking a sip of her tea, she crossed her legs pensively while watching the minute hand on the old clock tower edge forward. There was only fourteen minutes left of her lunch break and she began to wonder why she felt so disappointed. 

Certainly, she enjoyed her breaks from work. She was bad for counting the minutes, it never made them last longer. 

Deep down, _but not really that deep,_ she knew her disappointment stemmed from the steadily blooming feelings of affection she felt for her nightly visitor. He always made her nights better when he showed up. 

She had never anticipated in a million years that she would have been tagged by one of them. Every moment she had spent in his presence was surreal. He, himself, was unbelievable. 

_Twelve minutes left._ She took another drag from her mug. 

A soft rattling that echoed in the small courtyard made the corners of her lips curl upwards. 

“You’re late,” she hummed, wrapping both hands around the hot cup. 

“Have you come to miss me so greatly?” He chuckled and sat next to her on the wooden bench. It groaned beneath his weight.

She scoffed, “Someone thinks highly of himself.”

He straightened his shoulders and shook his mane out, “I have no reason not to.”

She laughed softly, hearing the smile in his voice. “Oh, I’m sure you don’t.” 

He looked down at her face, and upon seeing her teeth bared in a smile he felt a warmth in his heart. This human woman was extraordinary. 

They lapsed into a companionable quiet. She finished the last of her cooling tea and he stretched out his long legs. The night air was cool, but not cold. The moon cast a beautiful iridescence on the small courtyard, the chirping of crickets and frogs a constant symphony. 

She was content, sitting next to her friend. 

“I have news,” he said, breaking the quiet. 

She set her mug on the bench and turned to face him. She tipped her head back to better see his face and asked, “What kind of news?”

He hummed quietly in his chest, “Good or bad, depending on your response.”

She pursed her lips apprehensively, “All right, give it to me.”

It took him several moments to put the words together. He did not want her to interpret his request poorly. 

“My clan prepares for another assignment. The journey is long, so they wish to leave at the end of this week—“

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She knew this day would come, but she had selfishly hoped for more time with him before he was called back to his duties. 

“—I am unable to remain here to continue this stage of our courtship.”

It was clear that he felt a certain amount of anxiety, in the way his forefinger twitched restlessly and how stiff he held himself. 

She frowned, “So you’ve come to tell me you’re leaving and I won’t see you for a while.”

He seemed to freeze for a moment before exhaling a sharp gust of air from his mouth. “If I were any other Yautja, I would simply steal you away. But I am not. I value your trust and affection far too strongly—“ he held up his hand to quiet her as she drew in a breath to speak, “please, allow me to finish.”

She nodded, closing her mouth. 

“I stated my intentions towards you on the day we met. They have not changed. I desire you to be my mate, the mother of my young, my companion and my friend. I am ill-equipped to leave you here, but if you wish it _I will_ . But I ask you now, _dey’a_ , come with me. Come join me in the stars and I will make certain you want for nothing the rest of your life,” he murmured quietly while grazing his knuckles along the side of her face, relishing in the softness of her delicate skin. 

She leaned into his warm touch, captivated by the golden fire in his eyes. He seldom initiated contact with her which made that moment all the more serious to her.

“I do not like the thought of leaving you behind,” he said. 

Her heart raced like thunder, all but deafening in her ears. She took in the heat of his gaze, relished in the tingling it caused in her spine. His contrasting colours of maroon and cream were so striking, especially vibrant then. She knew his heart also raced with excitement because of it. 

How she had come to know this creature so well was mildly startling, but at the same time exhilarating. Not every woman on Earth had the opportunity to travel the universe with a person that would literally die for them. 

She knew he would absolutely lay down his life to save hers. She in turn, was quite certain that she would do the same. Somehow this man not from Earth had captured her heart. 

She consciously took a breath and released it slowly to restart her wild heart. “I have family here, I can’t cut all my ties to them.”

He clicked his tusks together sharply, “I would never ask you to abandon your family. My clan regularly visits this planet.”

She chewed on her lip anxiously as her eyes wandered to the clock tower. One minute until her break was over. What was holding her back? What fears did she have that prevented her from jumping head first into a life of adventure she would never have on Earth?

The only close friend she had would metaphorically kill her if she didn’t take this chance. 

_“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,”_ Helena would say.

She turned sharply to him, noticing that he had never taken his eyes off her. His mane ruffled up at her quick movement. 

“Do you have access to a twelve volt adaptor for my electronics?” 

“Twelve volt adaptor?” He parroted, uncertainty in his tone.

“Yes, a way to charge my devices so I may continue to use them,” she pulled her phone from her pocket to show him. 

He chittered brightly, “I do.”

She grinned brightly as him. 

“Then show me the stars.”


	2. Welcome Aboard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviewed and edited by me. Please let me know if you come across spelling or grammatical errors!

_This is it._

Addy took a deep breath with closed eyes. Makuba’s quiet rumbling purr from behind was a soothing comfort to her frayed nerves. 

She exhaled slowly through her nose. Their little scout ship was docked to the mothership, the door was hissing open. She tugged her backpack strap higher on her shoulder. 

_I am ready._

She opened her eyes. 

Makuba nudged her forward. 

Addy stepped over the threshold into a warm, humid environment, directly before the largest yautja she had ever seen. 

Sharp eyes closely examined her every move. 

This yautja stood several inches taller than Makuba, but was composed of leaner musculature. It’s dreads fell to it’s lower back, heavily decorated with bone, metal and other material beads. A crown of what looked to be teeth and claws adorned it’s crest. While that particular piece of jewelry was intimidating, it was also meticulously clean and beautiful, shining white in the light of the hallway. 

A hide as black as obsidian was draped around it’s waist, held up by a belt heavily bejewelled with trinkets and gems. It resembled some kind of Kama. The same kind of hide was also wrapped around it’s chest, tied behind the neck. 

“I introduce you to Dachande, the matriarch of this clan,” Makuba announced before exchanging words in his native tongue with the female yautja. 

Dachande tapped her lengthy tusks together in seeming contemplation. 

“She is also my mother,” Makuba added humorously at Addy’s slack jawed expression. 

_Well, I see where he got his colouring_ , she thought sardonically. 

Giving herself a mental check to stand tall, she stepped up to address Dachande with straight posture. 

“I see where Makuba received his good looks from, ma’am. You are quite beautiful.” 

In truth, Dachande was absolutely, _stunningly_ gorgeous. She stood with perfectly straight shoulders and her head held high in the air with confidence. Her colours were strikingly attractive and the hides she wore perfectly suited her figure, accenting both her curves and muscles. Her pale, grey iris’ were of note as well, particularly since Addy had never seen them before. 

The tall yautja chuffed a single breath of a laugh, “Flattery will send you far among our culture. My son has spoken true of your intelligence.”

Addy’s cheeks flushed pink and she repressed the small smile she felt growing. 

Dachande said something more to Makuba in their tongue before turning on her heel and striding off down the hall, displaying a gnarled scar that ran from her left shoulder to her right hip. Addy’s brow rose in curiosity.

She belatedly realized Makuba was purring lightly. 

Turning to him with a raised eyebrow she asked, “What?”

His mandibles flexed outward, “She approves of you.”

“So soon? I barely spoke with her,” Addy balked. 

“She sees more of you in your first moments of seeing her than she would learn in longer conversation.”

“So, she’s impressed I didn’t shit my pants at the sight of her.”

“ _Sei’i_.”

Addy snorted a laugh, “Well, off to a good start, I suppose.”

Makuba nodded once as he grazed his knuckles across her cheek. 

“Come, I will show you to our quarters,” he turned to gather the rest of her things before leading her deeper into the clan ship. 

“Please tell me there’s a window,” she walked after him, admiring the sight of his back muscles flexing.

* * *

It turned out that their shared quarters did, in fact, have a window. A huge, long window that was twice as long as Addy was tall. She was immediately star struck by the stunning view of Earth, how _blue_ the oceans actually were. And the _clouds_! The swirling clouds danced in circles, white as fresh snow. Her feet unconsciously took her to stand directly in front of the window. 

Addy knew what Earth looked like from space, everyone did. There were all kinds of photos across the internet, but nothing compared to the true view of it. 

Makuba came to a stop next to her, enamoured with the wide-eyed look of awe on Addy’s face. Her eyes glittered with wonder and her face was flush with exhilaration. 

He silently vowed to put that expression on her face as often as he could. 

The gentle brushing of her knuckles against his thigh was a wonderful addition to the moment. 

He quirked his mandibles with a smile. 

A quiet thunk signalled that the ship’s engines were engaged. Kateyus was taking them away. 

Addy watched with both trepidation and excitement as Earth quickly shrank before her. She was _in space_ on a spaceship. 

Life would never be the same.

* * *

When a jaw breaking yawn finally split her face, Makuba knew it was enough. He nudged her gently towards the bed. 

Addy frowned at the pile of hides and blankets that sat in a hole in the floor. Her exhausted mind wrapped loosely around the idea that this must be his bed. It didn’t look very comfortable. 

She pointed at it with an accusing finger, “If that’s what I think it is, it doesn’t look like there’s much for cushion.”

“It will be fine. It’s time for rest,” he gave her a firm push in the shoulder. 

She stumbled forward, sceptical of the bed. As she laid down on her side, she wrestled with a thin but surprisingly heavy blanket until it covered her up to her ears. Then she rolled up a soft, fluffy hide beside her and settled her head on it like a pillow.

Makuba stayed crouched next to the bed until her breathing evened into slumber, purring gently all the while. 

* * *

Addy woke up in a blind sweat. Her eyes snapped open, but she couldn’t make out anything in the darkness. She threw the pelt off of her and took several moments to relish in the feeling of air on her skin. She had gone to sleep in her clothes, and that seemed to have been a mistake. 

She knew she never slept well in more than a shirt and underwear, but the whole week leading up to her departure had been exhausting. It had slipped her mind to undress. 

Addy rolled onto her side and crawled out of the bed, going to sit in front of the window. As unnerving as it was to watch the whole universe pass her by, it was oddly calming. 

She sat there for a long while, watching the stars. 

It wasn’t until Makuba entered through the main door that Addy realized he had been absent. Her head twitched in his direction, but she couldn’t pull her eyes away from the view. 

She listened to him shuffle around the room, disappear through an adjacent door, and return after a few minutes. He moved over to her spot, and with a grunt settled cross legged next to her. 

They shared several minutes of quiet. 

Makuba clicked his tusks together to garner her attention after a little while. Addy turned her head towards him, but still did not look at him. 

“Why did you wake?” He asked. 

She shrugged, “Never sleep well the first night in a new place.”

He chittered pensively. “Everyone is eager to meet you tomorrow.”

Addy hummed quietly, “Not gonna lie, I’m a little anxious.”

“Why?”

She finally looked at him, and he could see the turmoil in her eyes. “They’re your family. I want to make a good impression.”

He began to purr softly, so quietly she felt it more than heard it. She really enjoyed those moments, when they shared eye contact and he purred like that for her. She felt the most connected to him then.

Makuba slowly lowered his head towards her, pausing once to see if she would retreat from him. 

She didn’t. Addy held herself still, pushing through the anxiety she felt at his proximity. Her parents had never shared affection towards one another, and found that as an adult it was difficult to exhibit intimacy with another person, romantically and otherwise. Addy found that now she wanted to try harder to push through her insecurities; because of Makuba. 

Addy didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until he made contact with her, gently pressing his great forehead to hers. His purr deepened, and she felt herself let out the breath she’d been holding. Her eyes slipped closed, too, and she let the tension roll out of her shoulders. 

“It will go well, but you must rest first,” he said quietly. 

She sighed. “Well, I’m gonna need my pajamas.”

“Your things are in the corner, _dey’a_.”

Addy turned her head slightly to glance around, while not breaking contact with Makuba. She spotted her luggage off to the side of the bed, stacked neatly.

“Thank you, Makuba.”

He tapped his tusks together, “You are welcome.”

It took Addy a few moments longer before she broke contact with Makuba, standing to go sort through her luggage. He mourned the loss of her touch, but felt immense happiness that she had not shied away from him, like she had for so long. He watched her dig out a different top and change with her back turned to him. 

She had explained to him that society had shunned her for her size, but he rather liked her softness and broad hips. He recognized the gravity of any contact she initiated between them, and how far she had come in her insecurity to strip her top covering with him in the room. 

Addy turned to him after changing her shirt and ditching her pants. “Are you ready to sleep, too?”

He nodded and stood, sidling over to the bed. Addy crawled back into the spot she had been in previously, curling up under the same, brown pelt. 

As soon as she settled, he made himself comfortable a little bit away from her. As much as he wanted to hold her close, to mark her with his scent, it was only her first night aboard. That would come with time, and more training. 


	3. Meet the Family: Part One

Addy awoke much more comfortable the next time around. She was just the right temperature, with only her toes and face sticking out from beneath the pelt. 

She cracked open her eyes and saw Makuba next to her lying on his back. One arm was up beneath his head and the one on his other side was laying across his belly. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even. 

He looked so relaxed and chill, she almost found it hard to believe he could tear things limb from limb.

“See something you like?” He rumbled, one mandible quirking up in a smirk.

_ And saucy to boot,  _ she thought.

“Depends,” she grumbled, throwing the pelt over her face to hide her smile. Only her thick, curly hair stuck out. It reminded Makuba very much of his own mane, but his was dark and straight. 

“Depends on what, exactly?” He asked, chuckling quietly. 

“What do you have to eat around here?” She mumbled, peeking out from under the pelt. He hadn’t moved, but he was watching her from the corner of his eye. 

“Food.”

Addy rolled her eyes, “ _ Fucking asshole _ .”

He laughed aloud, and rolled out of bed swiftly. “Come, the others planned to make you a meal.”

Addy felt nerves flood her senses, momentarily paralyzing her limbs. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Okay, but I’m going to get dressed first.”

Makuba growled lowly, “I would not appreciate my brothers seeing as much of you as I get to see.”

Her cheeks flushed pink. His attentions never ceased to make her feel like a twelve year old experiencing her first crush. 

* * *

They were standing just before an open doorway. Addy had to fight to keep her hands at her sides, to not wring them nervously. She heard the sizzle of something cooking, and a delicious smell wafted towards her. 

Makuba turned to Addy and noted the tension in her stance. She was trying to calm herself down, he could see that, but it didn’t seem to be working well. 

He clicked at her twice to get her attention. Her eyes snapped up to meet his gaze. 

“It will be fine,” he purred, bending down to gently touch his forehead to hers. Addy leaned into him and took a deep breath like the night before. His touch was so grounding for her, and she didn’t care to question why. 

Addy nodded against his forehead, “Let’s do this.”

He smiled, standing to his full height. 

Addy followed him around the corner, into the new room. 

* * *

“So, Makuba brought his lady friend aboard?” Andy shook out her pants and tossed them into the corner. She would clean them later. 

Kateyus grunted in affirmative and finished placing his awu’asa in its place. He tapped the wall and the stand holding his things folded into the paneling, leaving no indication of a compartment within the wall.

“Have you met her yet?” She eyed him as she moved into the other room and settled into bed.

He said nothing as he followed and rolled into the bed beside her.

“Someone’s chatty tonight,” Andy rolled her eyes. 

Kateyus gathered Andy in his arms and pulled her into his chest, folding his tusks into her thick, red hair. 

She grabbed hold of his forearm and gently stroked his skin. Kateyus retreated into himself whenever he felt pensive or anxious. It was clear to her that something was on his mind. 

“What’s going on, big guy?”

He said nothing for a short while, content to breath in Andy’s scent while holding her in his possession.

“Dachande gathered us today,” he grumbled, murmuring into her hair.

Andy dragged her fingernails across his arm. “And? Was it about the next trip?”

He grunted again, “We must hunt a Queen.”

Andy tensed immediately, “A  _ Queen _ ?”

Kateyus pressed harder into her body and held Andy a little tighter to his chest, the only indication he would allow himself to show that he felt anxious about this hunt. Hunting  _ kiande amedha _ was dangerous enough, even for seasoned hunters. Going after a Queen was always extremely challenging, and many Elite, even  _ Ancient  _ Yautja met Cetanu in such encounters. 

Kateyus’ sire had been given an honorable death by a Queen. Andy knew this, as the death of both their father’s had been a strong point of connection between them in their initial stages of courtship. 

Andy sighed deeply and held onto Kateyus a little bit tighter. 

“Ingrid wants to cook breakfast for Makuba’s girl,” Andy said, wanting to think about something else. 

Kateyus grunted. 

“I was thinking I would help out. I want to be there to meet her tomorrow morning,” Andy turned her face into Kateyus’ upper arm and grazed her teeth across his skin. 

His chest vibrated roughly with a purr, “Wake up call?”

Andy smiled slightly, “Please.”

* * *

Charlie squinted at the screen in front of her, scrutinizing the information on it for the umpteenth time. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully and tabbed over to the next file. 

Tensynn blew into the room with all the grace of a bull in a china shop. He stomped into their shared ensuite, grumbling under his breath all the way. 

Charlie heard him mention something about a filter sensor, and she knew it was a recurring glitch in the system he kept trying to repair. She decided to give him space and continued to study the file on her datapad. 

Tensynn appeared from the other room after half an hour. He was much more relaxed, having put away his awu’asa and freshly showered. He no longer stomped around like an angry toddler. 

Next thing Charlie knew, he ripped the datapad from her hands and jumped across the room. He chittered thoughtfully as he glanced over the file she had been looking at. 

He looked at her through the corner of his eye and said incredulously, “ _ Again _ ?”

Charlie scowled at him and jumped out of her desk chair. “Yes,  _ again _ . What if there’s something I missed?”

Tensynn threw the datapad onto the counter beside him, ignoring Charlie’s indignant squawk of protest. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms and tossed her into their bed. 

“ _ Tensynn _ !” She yelped.

He laughed and jumped in next to her, ruffling her hair with his claws. 

“My brother would be insulted that you do not trust him to make the right decision,” Tensynn wrestled her into a loose choke hold as Charlie fought against his attention. 

“Stop it!” She growled, wriggling out from beneath him. He let her go with another laugh. She quickly jumped on top of his waist and grabbed a fistful of his dreads in each hand, tugging firmly on them. His hands immediately clasped onto her hips and his mandibles flared. 

“Look,” she leaned in close to his face. “It’s not that I don’t trust Makuba, but if I could potentially find something bad about this woman before she has a chance to hurt any of us, I’d like to be able to protect this family in my own way. I’m not some big, tough fighter like you all are. I get attached quickly, and if this didn’t work out I would be  _ devastated _ .”

Tensynn rolled suddenly, caging Charlie beneath his body. He purred loudly and caressed her cheek with his thumb. 

“So thoughtful, my little human,” he hummed. Charlie blushed deeply and avoided looking him in the eyes. He nuzzled her chin with his mandibles, “It has taken Makuba many seasons to desire a mate. It has taken him many more to scout your planet for someone he found compatible.”

“I know, he’s a meticulous guy,” Charlie mumbled, feeling a little ashamed of her behaviour. In her experience Yautja were not trusting beings by nature, so the notion that Makuba would bring home the first girl he fancied seemed a little far-fetched.

Tensynn’s purring continued, “Indeed. I trust my brother, I have a good feeling.”

Charlie sighed deeply. She trusted Tensynn’s gut. He was an incredibly accomplished hunter, and the equivalent of a Yautja politician. He had to have good instincts. 

“I trust you,” she groused, sometimes hating that he was so sensible. 

He smirked and laid some of his weight on top of Charlie, “I know.”

She smacked his chest with a roll of her eyes, “Get off!”

* * *

Ingrid was nearly vibrating with excited energy. Her toes bounced repeatedly off the floor and she chewed her lip absent-mindedly. She was flipping through her little recipe book trying to decide what to cook for the new woman when Aqida strode into the communal kitchen. 

He grazed his claws down her back as he glanced over her shoulder. Ingrid shivered at his touch, then turned to smile at him.

“I’m just choosing what to make for breakfast,” she said.

Aqida made a lilting, rumbling vocalization Ingrid knew to be a question.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Ingrid frowned. “I don’t want to make anything too…” She struggled to find the right word. 

“Alien?” Aqida supplied, turning to dig a snack out of the cupboards behind Ingrid. 

“I was gonna say  _ crazy _ ,” she mumbled, becoming engrossed with her recipes again. 

Aqida found what he was looking for and tossed a piece of the dried meat to Ingrid. She grabbed it off the table without looking and began to chew on it blankly. He tore a strip off a bigger piece and threw the pack back into the cupboard. 

“It’s time for rest, Ingrid,” Aqida rumbled, rapping his knuckles on the tabletop. 

She hummed quietly, “I think I’ll do potatoes.”

“Mm.” 

Aqida stood behind Ingrid and bent over her, tucking her head beneath his chin. 

“All right, all right, I’m coming,” she smiled, closing her recipe book. 


	4. Saturn's Rings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The further I delve into this world, the more that I question my characters. Things may change as I keep going, but I will give notice and updates if I make any large edits/changes. 
> 
> Enjoy!

As Addy stepped over the threshold into what looked like a kitchen, the sounds of discussion ceased. Addy’s heart thundered in her ears, so she took a deep, conscious breath to calm her nerves. 

“Hi,” she said, waving anxiously to the room full of people. There was another beat of awkward silence before it was broken suddenly. 

“Hi, there, honey! It’s so great to finally meet you!” A pleasantly plump, dark skinned woman with a heavy southern accent came around the island in the middle of the room. She swiftly enveloped Addy in a crushing embrace. “Aren’t you just a doll!”

“Thank you,” Addy choked out between her teeth.  _ She was ridiculously strong. _ The woman suddenly pulled back and grabbed both her cheeks, cooing excitedly at her. 

“Oh, you are adorable!” 

Addy’s eyes went wide with surprise. 

“ _ Ingrid _ .” 

The tallest yautja Addy had ever seen shifted forward with a grunt, gaining the attention of the woman holding Addy’s face. 

She clicked her tongue and stepped back, placing her hands on her hips, “It’s  _ fine _ , Aqida.”

A rumbling sound emanated from his chest, and Addy was struck by his interesting, charcoal grey hide, striated with silver-blue inflections. 

Ingrid rolled her brown eyes and blew a stray curl of hair out of her face, then turned back to Addy. 

“I’m Ingrid, that big bear is Aqida. He doesn’t talk much,” Ingrid hiked a thumb over her shoulder at the grey yautja that was studying Addy with sharp eyes. 

It was then that Addy really took in the room. Beside Aqida stood another yautja, although he was shorter and more stout. His skin was dark, dark enough Addy wagered it was black. Standing just a bit aside from him was a third yautja, with deep hunter green skin. He was similar in build to the dark yautja, but it was incredibly noticeable that each one of them, including Makuba, shared a cream coloured belly. 

Sitting around the island were two more women. Ingrid shuffled backwards and slapped the closest one on the shoulder.   
“This is Charlotte, she goes by Charlie,” she introduced. 

Charlie was a drop-dead beautiful woman with curves in all the right places. Her skin was a rich bronze tone, and her dark hair was shaved close to her head on both sides, the top part collected into a tidy braid that fell down her back. Studded earrings decorated the shell of both her ears, some glimmered more brightly than others. 

Charlie jumped off the stool and walked up to Addy with her hand outstretched, “Hi! Welcome to the family!”

Addy smiled easily and shook Charlie’s hand. She had a firm grip. 

“Thanks, it’s nice to meet you.”

“And this is Andrea, but don’t call her that or she’ll smack ya! Call her Andy,” Ingrid shoved the alabaster skinned, red-head out of her stool towards Addy. 

Andy was also gorgeous, with bright grey eyes and a dusting of freckles over her skin. Her hair was in a loose bun at the base of her neck. She looked tough, like she could deal out a vicious beating, and take one, too. 

Addy felt rather inadequate standing next to the three of them. 

“Hi,” Andy shook her hand quickly, then moved back to her seat. 

Ingrid clicked her tongue at the red-head and whipped her with the tea towel that had been flung over her shoulder. 

“What?!” Andy growled, “I’m hungry!”

“You’ll eat when I tell you to! Don’t be rude,” Ingrid huffed. 

Charlie chuckled next to Addy. 

She looked to Charlie and found that the brown-eyed beauty was definitely a couple inches taller than her. 

“Are they always like this?” Addy asked, glancing back at Ingrid and Andy as they squabbled like kids. 

Charlie smiled fondly, “Yes. Andy seems cold now, but once you get to know her, she’s a big teddy bear. And Ingrid is always like this, bright and bubbly.”

Addy smiled softly and said quietly, “They remind me of my siblings.”

“Yeah? I never had siblings,” Charlie said, “but I spent a lot of time with my cousins. We were pretty tight.”

“I didn’t see my cousins much outside of family holidays,” Addy confessed with a shrug. 

Makuba moved out from behind her to go stand with his brothers, on his way by gently brushing his arm against hers.

She gave him a shy smile. 

* * *

_ “She’s pretty,” _ Tensynn chuffed, clasping Makuba on the shoulder. 

Makuba shook out his mane with a low growl,  _ “Don’t be getting any ideas, brother.” _

Tensynn laughed aloud, _ “Oh, settle down.” _

Kateyus chuckled quietly. Makuba rolled his eyes. 

Aqida eyed Makuba for a moment, then crossed his arms,  _ “You haven’t mated with her yet, have you?” _

This peaked Kateyus’ and Tensynn’s interest. They perked up. 

_ “Really?” _ Tensynn asked incredulously. 

_ “Had any of you before you brought them home?” _ Makuba scoffed.

In fact, Makuba knew that his brothers hadn’t mated with any of their women until Dachande had approved of them. She had never told them that they could not, rather all her sons desired her acceptance of their chosen humans. 

Aqida did not acknowledge Makuba’s question, instead he cocked his brow and quirked his mandibles humorously,  _ “Perhaps you should, might help you unwind.” _

Makuba scowled and bared his teeth, feeling his body tense. 

Kateyus and Tensynn laughed, vocalizing their agreement with Aqida. 

* * *

“So, tell us, Addy, what did you do for work?” Charlie asked after taking a drink of water and clearing her dishes to the sink. 

The women had all nearly finished eating breakfast, having scarfed it down in silence. Addy ate much slower, not nearly as hungry as the other three. The food was delicious, she had no qualms with it. Her appetite was simply not very big having not slept well and still battling her nerves. 

“Security guard, putting myself through school,” Addy supplied, taking the last bite of her savoury potatoes. 

“That’s kinda cool, I bet you saw a lot of interesting things!” Ingrid chirped, getting up to start cleaning dishes. 

“Yeah, yeah I did. What did you all do?” Addy asked, forcing down the last of her meal. 

“Oh, I was in school to become a chef!” Ingrid grinned. “I actually had just graduated before Aqida brought me here.”

Addy found herself perking up with interest, “That’s cool! Do you have a favourite type of cuisine?” 

Ingrid hummed for a moment, “Well, I’m quite biased, so I love southern food, but I also found Asian cuisine really fun, too!”

“Any particular part of Asia?” Addy asked. 

“Nope! I like it all! What about you? Do you have a favourite food?”

Addy thought about it for a couple seconds, then said, “Honestly? I love most food. My favourite kinda depends on the day.”

“I get that,” Charlie piped up, clearing Addy’s plate for her. She gave her thanks, and Charlie nodded with a smile. “But I think my favourite food of all time is peanut butter toast. One of my cousins had a severe nut allergy, so I didn’t get it often.”

“I like peanut butter,” Addy agreed. She turned her head to look at Andy sitting a seat away from her. “What about you, Andy?”

The redhead said nothing for a short bit, and Addy wasn’t sure she would respond. 

Then: “Butter chicken with garlic naan.”

Addy smiled, “That’s a good meal.”

“Oh,  _ butter chicken _ !” Charlie groaned and licked her lips. “We haven’t made  _ that  _ in forever!”

“Well, I’ll put it on the list!” Ingrid proclaimed, waving a soapy fork in the air. 

“List? What list?” Addy furrowed her brow. 

“Ingrid has a ‘special requests’ list that we can put food on that we want, and she does her best to make it happen,” Charlie explained, grabbing a towel from a drawer to start drying dishes. 

Addy saw it and asked, “Do you guys need some help?”

“Nah, nobody does the dishes on their first day aboard the  _ Enterprise _ !” Ingrid wagged her eyebrows at Addy. 

Addy laughed lightly, “The  _ Enterprise _ ?”

“That’s pretty much what this ship is,” Andy grumbled through a mouthful of coffee, looking at what appeared to be a tablet on the countertop. 

Before any of the other girls could explain further, Dachande entered the room. The four males stood at attention immediately and respectfully bowed their heads to her. She rumbled lightly at them in greeting, then passed by them to collect the plate that had been dished up and set aside for her. 

Addy was just as star struck by her in that moment as she had been when she met the female yesterday. Dachande was dressed similarly, but Addy finally noticed that she, too, had a cream-coloured belly. 

_ Interesting _ . 

Dachande also noticeably towered over all of her sons. 

“This vessel, translated to your language, is called the Black Bear. Our duty is to navigate, map, and explore uncharted territories,” Dachande intoned. “However, despite our physical distance, we are still called upon to partake in clan duties occasionally.”

“Clan duties?” Addy questioned, then immediately regretted speaking. Everyone’s attention was drawn to her, and she felt her heart leap into her throat. She could only hope that the anxiety she felt in their presence would fade quickly as she spent more time with them. 

Dachande tilted her head slightly and clicked her tusks together, “We have been called to join in the hunt of a _ kiande amedha _ queen. Such a task is challenging and requires the clan’s most skilled warriors. We will aid in this hunt before resuming our exploration duties.”

Addy nodded slowly, chalking up the courage to ask another question. 

“Have you hunted a queen before?”

“Yes, many.” 

Dachande moved to continue her way out of the kitchen.

“Hey, Mama Bear!” Ingrid called, “Tell me what you think of the eggs! I tried a new spice!”

Dachande purred lightly and curled her mandibles in a smile at the bubbly woman, “I will.”

Ingrid grinned and turned to finish up the dishes. 

As Dachande headed down the hall she hollered something back at the other yautja in their language. 

Andy pursed her lips, “What did she say?”

“She has called us to training today,” Kateyus rumbled. 

“Right away?” Andy frowned, collecting her tablet off the countertop.

Kateyus shook his head, “This afternoon.”

Addy picked at her fingernails nervously, unsure of what to do with herself. 

“C’mon, I want to talk with you,” Andy mumbled, grabbed Kateyus by his belt and pulled him from the room. 

Addy watched them go with a frown, then she noticed that Charlie and Ingrid looked a little somber. She wanted to ask about it, but didn’t feel like pushing that line just yet. She let it drop, and instead stood from her stool and clapped her hands together. 

“So, what’s a girl to do around here?” She looked at Charlie and Ingrid curiously, rocking onto her toes. 

Before either woman could answer, Makuba stepped up to her.“I would like to show you something.”

She looked at him curiously, “What do you want to show me?”

“It is a surprise, come with me,” he chittered excitedly and grabbed her by the wrist, ushering her out of the kitchen with him. 

“We’ll see you later, Addy!” Charlie called as Addy and Makuba left, then turned to Ingrid. 

The southern bell dried her hands on the towel on her shoulder, then put her hands on her hips. 

“I like her!” She grinned brightly. 

Charlie smiled as well, “Me, too. I think she’ll be a good fit around here.”

* * *

Addy followed Makuba keenly, curious about what he had to show her. The route they took was unfamiliar to her, as she had really only seen their quarters and the kitchen. The corridors looked quite similar, so she figured she would need to take care getting to know her way around. It would be easy to become lost. 

Makuba turned another corner that led to a closed door. She watched him tap something on his wrist gauntlet, then the door swished open without sound. 

He turned around and waved for her to go inside. 

“What is it? Where are we?” Addy asked, stepping cautiously into the room. 

It was relatively spacious, and very tidy. Directly ahead of her was some kind of chair and a control board, and in front of that was another wide, spanning window. 

“Is this the cockpit?” She guessed, stepping around the large chair. 

Makuba purred soundly, “Sei’i.” He moved around the other side of the chair, and jumped up to sit in it. He then gestured for her to move closer to him, “Come.”

“Okay…” She narrowed her eyes as she stepped towards him, “What is it?”

He grabbed her quickly and pulled her onto his lap. She yelped in surprise and grabbed hold of the arm rests with a vice grip, body tensed. 

_ I’m going to hurt him, _ whispered her insecurities. She tried holding herself up, so most of her weight was off his lap. 

His purr deepened and he reached around her to work with the controls. She watched with wonder as the view of the stars in the window changed. Makuba was turning the ship. 

“I want to show you all the planets in your solar system, but Dachande would only allow me one detour before the hunt,” Makuba explained as the rings of Saturn came into view. 

Addy’s jaw dropped with a gasp, “Oh, my goodness.”

Makuba nuzzled his face into the back of her neck, and gingerly settled his hands on her plump hips. “You told me once that Saturn is your favourite planet.”

Tears gathered in her eyes. She tried to find the words for how she was feeling, but felt speechless. Saturn was beautiful, and she was thrilled beyond belief that she was seeing it with her own eyes. 

“Makuba…” She whispered, relaxing her grip on the arm rests. His claws flexed on her hips as she truly settled on his thighs. 

Makuba closed his eyes, feeling content enveloped in Addy’s scent and the warmth of her body against his own. He felt her muscles relaxing, and he could smell her anxiety fading away. 

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, blinking away the moisture in her eyes. 

He rubbed his brow against the back of her neck, “As are you.”

Her face flushed, and her senses snapped back inside the cockpit. She was suddenly aware of how warm his skin felt beneath her, and how  _ hot  _ his hands felt on her hips. 

_ And his breath on her neck. _ It sent shivers down her spine.

She resorted to sarcasm as she usually would to protect herself. 

“Aren’t you a sweet talker,” she chuckled. 

He hummed quietly. 

“I suppose we can’t stay here for long, can we?”

She felt him shake his head against her neck, and her body began to tense up again. 

“No, but there are many more planets I want to show you.”

“Uranus?” She laughed. 

“Do not tempt me,” he purred.

She almost regretted explaining the joke to him, but she found when he understood English metaphors and euphemisms their conversations were so much richer. 


End file.
